Canton of

Glarus

main

Betschwanden      Bilten Braunwald      Elm Engi      Ennenda Filzbach      Glarus Haslen      Linthal Luchsingen      Matt Mitlödi      Mollis Mühlehorn      Näfels Netstal      Niederurnen Oberurnen      Obstalden Riedern      Rüti Schwanden      Schwändi Sool

The history of this canton is dominated by religion. The inhabitants of the Linth Valley were converted to Christianity in the 6th century by the Irish monk Saint Fridolin, who is still featured in the coat of arms of the canton today. He founded Säckingen Abbey near Basel. From the 9th century, the area around Glarus was owned by the abbey. By 1288 the Habsburgs, bit by bit, claimed all the abbey's rights. This resulted in the people of Glarus joining the Swiss Confederation in 1352.

Between 1506 and 1516 the reformer Huldrych Zwingli was priest in Glarus, but by 1564 all of Zwingli's followers were eliminated. This, however, did not end the struggles between the Protestants and the Catholics in the area. To secure peace it was decided that each party should have its own assembly (Landsgemeinde) in 1623, and at a later stage in 1683, each side was granted the right to have its own tribunals.

Between 1798 and 1803 Glarus was part of the Canton of Linth as established by Napoleon. In 1836 the constitution was adapted to unite the assemblies and establish only one Landsgemeinde.

About two thirds of Glarus (593 buildings) were destroyed after a big fire in 1861. After this incident, Glarus was rebuilt in block fashion according to construction plans by Bernhard Simon and Johann Caspar Wolff.

The arms of Glarus show St. Fridolinus, an Irish missionary, who travelled in (present) France and Switzerland. He founded a nunnery on a small island, which was later given by the German King to the city of Glarus. The saint also became the patron saint of the church in Glarus city. As this was for a long time the only church in the area, the saint became the patron saint of the whole district.

The oldest use of the saint in the banners or arms of the district dates from 1352 when Glarus joined the Swiss confederation. Some older seals show Maria and Christ. All later images, seals and arms show St. Fridolinus. The saint is, however, shown in many different shapes, sizes and is sometimes facing left, sometimes facing right, most often with a abbott's stick, but also sometimes with a straight stick. He is always shown with a bible.

In 1861 the arms were properly described by Ludwig Stanz. He showed the saint with a straight black stick, a red bible with golden lining, a green bag around his shoulders, black sandals with green laces.
The next official drawing dates from 1931 and is basically the same, including the green bag. The latter, for which is no historical evidence, was highly debated. In 1941 the arms were renewed; the stick became gold, the historical colour, the bag became silver as did the shoes.

The present arms date from 1959 and show a more modern-styled St. Fridolinus, with black shoes and a golden bible, which is in accordance to most historical images. The bag has also disappeared, even though it is seen on many historical images. The hands and face are now officially white, instead of natural colour.